extremely difficult

You can use this phrase to describe tasks, exams, or even people. It usually follows the verb to be. For example, The marathon was extremely difficult. You can also put it before a noun. That was an extremely difficult decision. It sounds natural and polished. It shows you have a good grasp of English intensity. Just don't use it for easy things like opening a jar of pickles. That would be a bit dramatic!

Use it when you want to be taken seriously. It works perfectly in a job interview. It is great for academic settings or serious heart-to-hearts. Use it when describing a project that kept you up all night. It fits well in news reports or professional emails. If you are exhausted by a task, this is your phrase. It tells the listener that you really struggled.

Avoid this phrase for minor inconveniences. If your coffee is slightly too hot, it is not extremely difficult to drink. Using it for small things makes you sound like a drama queen. Don't use it in very slang-heavy conversations with teenagers. They might prefer words like insane or brutal. Also, avoid it if the task was actually impossible. If you can't do it at all, say it's impossible instead.

English speakers love to use 'intensifiers' like extremely. In Western work culture, admitting something is extremely difficult is often respected. It shows you understand the scale of a challenge. It is not seen as a sign of weakness. Instead, it is seen as being realistic and honest. In many English-speaking countries, overcoming an extremely difficult task is a common 'hero story' at work.

You will often hear people swap extremely for other adverbs. Incredibly difficult sounds a bit more emotional. Exceedingly difficult sounds very formal and old-fashioned. Pretty difficult is much weaker. If you are in the UK, you might hear dead difficult. In the US, some might say super difficult in casual chats. Stick to extremely for a perfect balance of strength and clarity.